


Lecture Mode

by telperion_15



Category: Primeval
Genre: Academia, Alternate Universe - Canon, Established Relationship, Fluff, Future Fic, M/M, Near Future, University
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-02-04
Updated: 2012-02-04
Packaged: 2017-10-30 14:46:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/332897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/telperion_15/pseuds/telperion_15
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nick goes to a lecture.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lecture Mode

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for a prompt from deinonychus_1: 'Nick/Connor, experience'.

  
Nick slipped into the lecture theatre through the rear door, and slid into a seat at the end of the back row. He was worried that he might have disturbed the lecturer with his late entrance, but the man was too busy staring at the computer on the lectern in front of him and tapping away at the keys, with a complete lack of effect on the powerpoint presentation projected on the screen behind him, which appeared to be permanently frozen on the title slide.  
  
Concerned, Nick bit his lip, wondering whether he should go down and try to help out. His computer knowledge was limited, but he’d been putting up with the quirks of CMU’s IT equipment for years, and knew one or two tricks that might help. But just as he was about to rise from his chair, the powerpoint suddenly unfroze and flicked forward a couple of slides.  
  
“Finally!” the lecturer exclaimed. He looked up a little apprehensively at his audience of students, and tried a smile. “Sorry about that. Now, where was I?”  
  
“At the beginning,” one wag called out, and Nick resisted the urge to tell the idiot to pipe down. These weren’t _his_ students, after all.  
  
“Yes, right.” The man at the front of the lecture theatre still looked nervous, and Nick silently willed him to get going. “Now, as I was saying before everything went a bit pear-shaped, this term we will be looking at…”  
  
It took a little while for the lecturer to get into his stride. His delivery was a bit hurried at first, and he stumbled over his words several times as he tried to divide his attention equally between his audience, his computer, and his projected visual aids. But after ten minutes or so the lecture stared to flow, and Nick could feel the atmosphere in the room change subtlely as the students realised that this was someone worth listening to. He even found himself getting caught up in what the man was saying – even though it wasn’t anything he hadn’t heard before – to the extent that he was taken by surprise when the lecturer started to wrap things up.  
  
“Now, that was just a general overview of what we’ll be studying this term. Over the coming weeks we’ll be looking at many of these concepts in much greater depth, and I expect – in fact, welcome – debate and questions. Which means that you all need to make sure you do the assigned reading each week, unfortunately.”  
  
A ripple of laughter went round the lecture theatre, and the lecturer grinned. “All right, that’s it everyone, off you go. And remember, if you want to talk to me about anything, you can email me, or come and see me in my office hours on Wednesdays.”  
  
A babble of conversation broke out as all the students started gathering their things together and filing out of the lecture theatre. Nick waited until the doors had swung shut behind the last of them before he stood up and started making his way down the stairs to the front, unnoticed by the lecturer, who was peering at the computer again.  
  
“Congratulations,” Nick said, when he was within a couple of yards of the other man.  
  
Connor jumped, and then looked up at him in surprise. “Where did you come from?”  
  
“Up there,” Nick replied, gesturing towards the back row.  
  
“You mean you were watching?”  
  
“Of course I was. You don’t think I’d miss your first lecture as a fully qualified doctor of evolutionary zoology, do you?”  
  
Connor pulled a face. “Was it all right?” he asked anxiously.  
  
“More than all right,” Nick told him. “You had a bit of a shaky start there…”  
  
“No thanks to this dratted thing,” Connor said, poking the computer.  
  
“…but after that everything went swimmingly. You’ve got a real knack, Connor.”  
  
Connor ducked his head, and smiled shyly at Nick. “Well, I lot to live up to,” he said. “You’re a hard act to follow around here.”  
  
Nick laughed. “My students barely recognised me,” he proclaimed. “I always used to get Stephen to give my lectures.”  
  
“Still, you did have a bit of a reputation,” Connor said cheekily.  
  
“Oi! Show some respect.”  
  
“Yes, Professor.”  
  
“ _Thank you_ , Doctor.”  
  
“Doctor,” repeated Connor wonderingly. “I still can’t quite believe it.”  
  
“You deserve it. You worked hard,” Nick said. “And I think the students recognised you knew what you were talking about.”  
  
“Yeah, and next time maybe I’ll be able to dispense with the false start,” Connor replied wryly. “Still, it’s all good experience, I suppose.”  
  
“That it is,” Nick said. “And the more experience you get, the better it’ll go. I wouldn’t be surprised if you have the students eating out of the palm of your hand by Christmas.”  
  
Connor laughed. “We’ll see.”  
  
Nick chuckled too, and then abruptly reached out and pulled Connor into a hug. “I’m proud of you, you know,” he said into Connor’s shoulder.  
  
“Thanks,” Connor replied, his voice just as muffled.  
  
They stayed wrapped around each other for a moment longer, and then Nick drew back and cleared his throat, trying to dispel a little of the emotion of the moment.  
  
“Yes well, enough of that. What does Dr. Temple say to letting Professor Cutter buy him lunch to celebrate his first successful lecture?”  
  
Connor grinned. “Dr. Temple would like that very much, Professor.”


End file.
